Handling apparatus for textile fabric



June 19, 1956 J c ET AL 2,750,679

HANDLING APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE FABRIC Filed Oct. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 t IN VEN TORS dbsepi Ca 72 122/125 6' a/far y Z'uyewe 60/177 June 19, 1956 J. COHN ET AL 2,750,679

HANDLING APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE FABRIC Filed Oct. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

vet. .3 INVENTORS 0 ATTO NEY HANDLING APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE FABRIC Joseph COllll, Jules G. Walter, and Eugene Cohn, New York, N. Y., assignors to Samcoe Holding Corporation, Woodside, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 23, 1952, Serial No. 316,422

8 Claims. (Cl. 34=-25) This invention relates to the treatment of textile fabrics, and more particularly is concerned with a reel type dryer for treating continuous strips thereof. Such dryers are not generally new and have heretofore been employed quite extensively. For example, see United States Patent 2,301,249, issued November 10, 1942, to the same assignee as is this application. However, in such dryers as have heretofore been employed, a certain amount of tension has necessarily been imposed upon a continuous strip of fabric being passed therethrough in order to control the speeds of rotation of the various reels in the accommodation of shrinkage taking place in the fabric during its passage through the dryer. Thus, in the aforementioned patent, in which the continuous strip of fabric is passed successively from one reel to the next, and in which the speed of rotation of each reel is individually adjustable, it is the slackness or tautness of the fabric passing between two successive reels which is employed to control the speed of rotation of the succeeding reel to accommodate for a change in length of the strip of fabric due to shrinkage. During operation of such a control, a certain tautness of the fabric is necessary and a certain tension must be necessarily imposed thereon which is contradictory of one of the chief functions of the dryer, and that is to permit all possible shrinkage of the fabric during its passage therethrough whereby minimal residual stresses are retained in the fabric which may cause shrinkage during subsequent laundering.

It is the primary object of this invention to improve the operating characteristics of such a reel type dryer to the end that a continuous strip of fabric being treated thereby may be permitted to shrink to the maximum extent, and substantially no added internal stresses are introduced into the strip of fabric during treatment in the dryer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a control for regulating the speed of rotation of each successive reel in the dryer which in no way depends upon the imposition of any tension upon the strip of fabric passing through the dryer, but rather in fact depends upon the accumulation of completely relaxed portions of the continuous strip.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specific description of one type of apparatus embodying the invention and illustrated in the accompaying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View of the lead-in end of the apparatus; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the control apparatus for varying the speed of rotation of one of the reels.

In general, the apparatus comprises a plurality of H rotary reels, the sizes of which relative to their spacing is such that the fabric which is received and conveyed successively around the reels is directly supported by the surfaces thereof during a substantial portion of its travel through the dryer. A common drive belt supplies driving titted States Patent (3 I power to all of the reels, each of which, however, is prointo the receptacle of the control device.

vided with a variable speed driving connection by which it may be operatively connected thereto for driving at a speed of rotation substantially independent of the speed of rotation of the other reels. Between each pair of successive reels there is interposed in the path of travel of the continuous strip of fabric an air-pervious receptacle which is adapted to receive the fabric as it leaves one reel and is adapted to deliver fabric upon demand to the succeeding reel. This receptacle is operatively connected to the variable speed control means for the succeeding reel and controls the adjustment thereof in accordance with the amount of fabric which it contains to increase the speed of rotation of the succeeding reel when a quantity of fabric above a predetermined amount is contained thereby, and to decrease the speed of rotation of the succeeding reel when the quantity of fabric contained is below such predetermined amount.

In certain instances, as for instance when the reeels of the dryer are arranged in horizontal alignment and the continuous strip of fabric passes generally over. one and below the succeeding one, it is necessary to provide a driven roll to withdraw fabric from the reelbeneath which the fabric passes and to feed such withdrawn fabric The engagement of such driven roll with the fabric is, however, such that no consequential tension is imposed thereon, despite the fact that the peripheral speed of this roll may exceed at times that of the reel from which it draws the fabric. If desirable, the driven roll may be so driven that its peripheral speed is varied with that of the reel from which it withdraws the fabric.

While details of the apparatus may be varied without departing from the invention, we prefer the apparatus hereinafter described. Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates a framework by which the various reels, driving means therefor and the various control means are sup ported. A plurality of reels, only three of which, 11, 12 and 13 are shown, are mounted on shafts 14 which are in turn journaled in the framework. A continuous strip of fabric 15 to be treated by the drying apparatus (none of the means for providing the drying medium, such as hot air, however, being illustrated or disclosed in this application because such may be similar to those already known and do not form part of this invention) is drawn into the apparatus by a feed-in roll 16 mounted on a shaft 17, also journaled in the framework, and passes over and in contact with reel 11, beneath and in contact with reel 12, and over and in contact with reel 13.

A common drive belt 18 extending lengthwise of the apparatus is partially supported and driven by a drive pulley 19 and additionally supported by idler wheels 20 mounted on frame members 21 and reel drive wheels 22 mounted on suitable anti-friction hearings on shafts 23 journaled in framework 10. Drive pulley 19 obtains its driving power from an electric motor 25 through a drive belt 26. The feed-in roll 16 also indirectly obtains its motive power from the same source through a drive belt 27.

By referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, the means by which the power for driving each of the reels 11, 12 and 13 is transmitted from drive wheels 22 and drive belt 18 to the reels will now be described. A pulley integral with a drive wheel 22 transmits the rotation thereof and driving power therefrom to the input side of a variable speed pulley 31 through belt 32. The variable speed pulley is itself mounted on a shaft 33 which is in turn mounted on one end of a bell crank lever 34 pivotally supportedby a frame member 21. The output side of the variable speed pulley 31 is connected by a drive belt 35 to another drive wheel or pulley 36 mounted on a shaft 37 supported by frame member 21. This drive shaft "carries aspur gear-38 which-engages-and"drives spur gear 39 which is fixed to supporting shaft 14 for a reel. Thus motive power for rotation of each ofthe reels of the. apparatus is derived 'frorn'ftheconimon drive belt 18 and may b'y reason-yof variable speed'pulleys Slybe effective to drive the reels at individually different speeds of rotation. 1 1' The types of variable speedp'ulleys .31 employed are of a Well known variety, and vas 'Wlll bQWTEEQHY understood; the output speedof each varieswith the input speed in accordance with the relative positions or conditions of engagement therewith of input drive beltGZ and output drive belt 35. This in'turn-depen'ds on the. ;position of the variable speed pulley relative to drive pulleys 3t). and 365 This positioning may be. altered by'pivotal move- *rnent of the bell crank lever M'Whic'h supports the variable speed pulley ononeend thereof. On the other end of thebell cranklever there 'is supported acam follower 41 which is adapted to ridein the guideway 42of cam mem- -ber 43, cam member dlabeing -fixedly secured'to ashaft amounted in the framework. Rotary movement-of shaft '44 will effect a like movementof cam member thereby -shiftingthe position ofthe'variablespeedpulley 31 and changing the speed 'of-rotation of the-fabric-carrying reel. "Ihat portion of" the apparatus which has been described thus far isold. Our invention lies in the apparatus to be hereinafter described in combination with the aforementioned apparatus.-

interposed in thepath of travel of the fabric between feed roll 16 and the initial reel 11 is an opeirmesh' J-box 50-provided at opposite'ends with guide tubes 51 secured thereto which are adapted to guide it for movement in a vertical path by surrounding fixed-guide bars 52: EX-

-tending from opposite ends of the J-box substantially vertically in line with the center of gravity thereof are rods 53'to-the distal end of'which are-secured chains 54 which pass over pairs of sprockets 55 and 56 and support at their ends counterweights-57. --As seen in Fig; 3,- the sprocket- 56 on-the side of the apparatus adjacent the variablespeed control mechanism-formed 11 is fixed to shaft 44upon'which is mounted-a portion of the variable speed control. 1 Sprockets 55, as may oe seen from-Fig. 2, are both secured to a common shaft 55- which extends through the apparatusandis jou'rnaled-atopposite-ends in frame'.1-0.:- This prevents cockingoftheJ-box during vertical movement regardless of whether or not: the moving forcesare applied equally to-the opposite ends thereof. The fabric fed into the app'aratus by feed roll -ll is deposited into the upper :end -of=the J-h'oX-ESQ passing 1 downwardly therethrough and out of-the :mouth thereof .whence':it passes upwardly intoengagement with thei-surface of reel 11 which-serves to:draw it therefrom. :The

operation of this control inechanismafor :the variable speed control is'more fully'disclosed' and descrihed=in our copendingapplication SerialNo.-313,t182-, filed October 4,

. 1952, reference to which is hereby made. As will be readily understood. from 'Figsr2 and/ 3, aniaccumulation offabric in the J-box 59 will effect. rotation ofsprockets 5.6 through. sprockets 55 and chains 54 in acounterclockwisei direction (Fig. 3.) overcoming the counteracting effect thereon of counterweights 57 (whichare preferably slightly heavier in total weight than the J-box 50 when empty' whereby .-the .J -boX. rises. when empty.) and conse- .quently'turn the bell crank lever-34 in'a counterclockwise direction which results in a speeding upwof rotation.v of

shaft -14and thesupported reel. Thus fabric -is withdrawn at;,a more rapidv rate from .the. J--box and;.this ..;increas,ed ratezofwithdrawa'l :is maintained .until-the ;ac .icumulation of fabriotherein :has decreased; to;;-such an extent thatrcounterweight 50 effects a rotation of sprocket 56 in. ;a clockwise-direction. i W

.A similariJ-box control llofaconsiderably .size,

a mayrbe readilyseenz-in Fig. l,- is interposedn'n thezpath of travel of the fabricbetweenwreel 'll antlreelrll. The mounting of'the Jebox 60 is similar toithaaef-J-boxfifl except that it is located at a position somewhat more 4 7 remote from -the -variable speed control mechanism which controls the rate of rotation of reel 12. This necessitates a somewhat different positioning of a counterweight 61 for this J-box, but the operation of the control will, it is believed, be readily apparent from Fig. l and will be recognized as being the gsametas the operation of the ro or ree 11. P evi y cri A thirdJ-box is mounted in the path of travel of the web between reels 1 2,and 13, its modeof'operation and'the; manner in which it controls the variabiespecd mechanism forreel 13 is identical to the manner in which the previously described .l,-bo x controls controltheir respective variable speed mechanisms. As the fabric that is to be fed to J-boXfltl is deliveredby reel 12 in an upward direction, it is necessary to provide a driven roll 71 to lift the fabric from the reel to a height from which it maybe fed downwardly into the upper end of J-box 7th- This driven=roll may'deriveits driving power from any source, but preferably'receives itin' any suitable manner'from'the'supporting and driving shaft 14 for reel l2. As is evident from the drawing, the lengtlrof unsupported -fabr ic that must be carried by driven roll '71 is small and -i tssurface is such that'the force of the frictional engage- -ment between 'it and "the fabric is just suiiicientto lift such unsupported lengthof fabric. Thus, should the fabric shrink appreciably on reel-12; or between reel 12 ancLdriven roll 71, and the length thereof change to such anextent that driven roll-'il'is being driven at a peripheral -sp'eed greater than thepermissiblelinearspeed of the fabric-without stretching, there will be a slippage between the-fabric and thesurface of the driven roll to accommodate the difference in speed. i v V --As indicated previously, the apparatus illustrated and described is but a portion of a--complete apparatus, which latteuwould comprise a considerably.largernumber of reels. Such larger-number-of reels, however, would be arranged similar to reels 11, 12 and 13 as illustrated and would merely form a continuation of the apparatus. -lt will be clear-thatby employment of the present apparatus, it is no-longer necessary to impose any positive tension on'a continuous strip of fabric at'its unsupported portions --a s itypasses through a reel type dryer. In fact, quite-the contrary, its unsupportedportionsare com- -pletely relaxed, yet each subsequent reel rotated 'at a speed dependentupon-the rate at which the fabric is discharged from a preceding reel. Whereas in previous dryers the reel drive controls gain power froman increase in-the tension of fabric passing through the dryers, in the dryer of our invention the controls gain power as the fabric-becomes progressively more relaxed. u

As indicatedpreviously, none of-the apparatus which is normally provided forsupplying of the drying air to the fabric is'h'ere disclosed. Suitable apparatus for this purpose is ofpourse well known, and as it does not form any part of this invention and in addition because it may take any of a number of forms, it is not believed necessary to here go intoit. j

It will be further apparent that various modifications and changes maybe made in theapparatus of the invention without departing from the scope thereof which shou dfibc limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

We claim: M p s I v 1.. lna reel type dryerfor a-continuous strip of textile fabric in'cludinga plurality 'of rotary reels of air-pervious material adapted to receive the fabric and convey it successively around said reels, the size off-said reels relative tothir spacing being such that'the fabric is directly supported by the surfaces thereof during a substantial .portipn of.its traveLthrough the dryer means for rotat- ,ing .,said eels, an. open mesh ,l-box interposed in the .--..-P. tl .tass at. i ut b e.li twtmwh ai .Q -rs a d n m s a- .e i :i s seemsa s; 9. s! h istzssr saves-t ev t a o ea e nd qde iv rsu fabric received through its lower open end to the successive reel upon demand, means for adjusting the rotating means for said reels to vary individually the speed of rotation of each reel, and means interconnecting each open mesh J-box which receives fabric from one reel with the speed-adjusting means of the successive reel to vary the speed of rotation thereof in accordance with the amount of fabric contained in said last-mentioned J-box.

2. In a reel type dryer for a continuous strip of textile fabric including a plurality of rotary reels of air-pervious material adapted to receive the fabric and convey it successively around said reels, the size of said reels relative to their spacing being such that the fabric is directly supported by the surfaces thereof during a substantial portion of its travel through the dryer and the fabric being so directed around said reels that it passes over and in contact with a first reel, beneath and in contact with a second reel, over and in contact with a third reel and so on through the apparatus, means for rotating said reels, air-pervious means for receiving the fabric as it leaves the surface of each reel and for delivering it to the successive reel upon demand, means for adjusting the rotating means for said reels to vary individually the speed of rotation of each reel, means interconnecting said fabric-receiving means for each reel with the speed adjusting means of the successive reel to vary the speed of rotation thereof in accordance with the amount of fabric contained in said last-mentioned fabric-receiving means, and means located between each reel beneath which the fabric passes and the successive reel for lifting the fabric from said reel and depositing it in the corresponding fabric-receiving means.

3. In a reel type dryer for a continuous strip of textile fabric including a plurality of rotary reels of air-pervious material adapted to receive the fabric and convey it successively around said reels, the size of said reels relative to their spacing being such that the fabric is directly supported by the surfaces thereof during a substantial portion of its travel through the dryer and the fabric being so directed around said reels that it passes over and in contact with a first reel, beneath and in contact with a second reel, over and in contact with a third reel and so on through the apparatus, means for rotating said reels, an open mesh J-box interposed in the path of travel of the fabric between each pair of reels for receiving the fabric as it leaves the surface of each reel and for delivering it to the successive reel upon demand, means for adjusting the rotating means for said reels to vary individually the speed of rotation of each reel, means interconnecting the J-box for each reel with the speed-adjusting means of the successive reel to vary the speed of rotation thereof in accordance with the amount of fabric contained in said last-mentioned J-box, and a driven roll located between each reel beneath which the fabric passes and the successive reel adapted to withdraw fabric from such reel and feed it to the corresponding J-box.

4. In a reel type dryer for a continuous strip of textile fabric including a plurality of rotary reels of air-pervious material adapted to receive the fabric and convey it successively around said reels, the size of said reels relative to their spacing being such that the fabric is directly supported by the surfaces thereof during a substantial portion of its travel through the dryer, the method of passing a continuous strip of moist textile fabric through said dryer for drying which comprises the steps of passing the strip in flat unfolded but tension-free condition about a first reel, accumulating the fabric of said strip as it leaves said first reel in a completely relaxed pile including folded over portions thereof, withdrawing the fabric of said strip from said pile and passing it about a second reel, repeating successively said steps until said fabric is discharged from the dryer, and passing drying air continually through said fabric both while on said reels and While it is being accumulated.

5. A method according to claim 4 in which the fabric is Withdrawn from a relaxed pile thereof and fed to the succeeding reel at a rate determined by the amount of fabric in said pile.

6. A method according to claim 5 in which the rate of withdrawal of fabric from the pile for feeding to the succeeding reel is such that the amount of fabric in the pile is maintained substantially constant.

7. The method of drying successive portions of a continuous strip of moist textile fabric which comprises progressively passing said portions of said strip continuously through a drying zone and while in said drying zone alternately progressively distending each portion of the strip to substantially flattened, unfolded, fully supported and tension-free condition, then progressively accumulating said portion into a completely relaxed pile including at least one fold, then progressively distending said portion again to flattened unfolded but tension-free condition and alternately repeating said distensions and accumulations of said portion until it leaves the drying zone, and passing drying air continually through said portion both during distension and accumulation.

8. A method according to claim 7 which includes the step of regulating the rate of progressive distension of said portion according to the prior rate of accumulation thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,301,249 Butterworth et al Nov. 10, 1942 2,325,544 Redman July 27, 1943 2,482,497 Miller Sept. 20, 1949 2,598,000 Knopp et al May 27, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 613,471 Great Britain Nov. 29, 1948 

4. IN A REEL TYPE DRYER FOR A CONTINOUS STRIP TEXTILE FABRIC INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF ROTARY REELS OF AIR-PERVIOUS MATERIAL ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE FABRIC AND CONVEY IT SUCCESSIVELY AROUND SAID REELS, THE SIZE OF SAID REELS RELATIVE TO THEIR SPACING BEING SUCH THAT THE FABRIC IS DIRECTLY SUPPORTED BY THE SURFACES THEREOF DURING A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF ITS TRAVEL THROUGH THE DRYER, THE METHOD OF PASSING A CONTINOUS STRIP OF MOIST TEXTILE FABRIC THROUGH SAID DRYER FOR DRYING WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF PASSING THE STRIP IN FLAT UNFOLDED BUT TENSION-FREE CONDITION ABOUT A FIRST REEL, ACCUMULATING THE FABRIC OF SAID STRIP AS IT LEAVES SAID FIRST REEL IN A COMPLETELY RELAXED PILE INCLUDING FOLDED OVER PORTIONS THEREOF, WITHDRAWING THE FABRIC OF SAID STRIP FROM SAID PILE AND PASSING IT ABOUT A SECOND REEL, REPEATING SUCCESSIVELY SAID STEPS UNTIL SAID FABRIC IS DISCHARGED FROM THE DRYER, AND PASSING DRYING AIR CONTINUALLY THROUGH SAID FABRIC BOTH WHILE ON SAID REELS AND WHILE IT IS BEING ACCUMULATED. 